1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) message processing method and apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a HTTP message processing method and apparatus for facilitating download of user-intended information from a web server.
2. Description of the Related Art
HTTP is a protocol that handles transferring data through the World Wide Web (WWW). HTTP is mainly used for exchanging a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) message (document). HTTP version 1.1 is the most commonly used version. HTTP is a request/response protocol used in a client-server computing model. For example, a browser of a client requests a server for a webpage or picture information through HTTP, the server transfers the corresponding information to the browser in response to the request. This transferred information is presented to the user through an output device such as a monitor. The data provided to the user through HTTP can be queried with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) starting with “http:”.
The user may visit a website by entering the URL in a URL bar of a web browser. The user enters a well-known and simple address corresponding to a long and complex address of an original website. This is possible because the entered address is redirected to the real address of the website.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional address redirection procedure according to the related art.
Prior to explanations, brief descriptions may be made of the HTTP messages. In HTTP version 1.1, “Get request” message is a message used for the client to request a server for transmission of the data corresponding to the URL. If the client connects to the server and makes a request to the server, the server sends the client a response message including a 3-bit status code. The response message including a status code starting with 3, i.e. 3XX, is a message indicating that a data location is changed. For example, the status code ‘301’ indicates that the requested data is located at a changed URL. That is, the response message including the status code ‘301’ is the redirect message including the location information (changed URL). The response message including status code ‘302’ is also the redirect message but differs from the response message including status code ‘301’ in that the changed URL is a temporary storage. This indicates that the URL may be changed by the server anytime. The response message including the status code ‘302’ is referred to as “Moved Temporarily” or “Found”. The response message including the status code starting with 2, i.e. 2XX, is the message indicating that the data transmission is successful or that the user request is understood or accepted (success message). For example, the status code ‘200’ indicates that the transmission is successful without error. That is, this message carries the data requested by the user to the client.
Referring to FIG. 1, the user inputs ‘naver.com’ in the URL bar of a mobile browser and selects ‘send’ button (e.g. enter button). That is, the portable terminal sends the network a first GET request message including the URL, i.e. ‘naver.com, at step 110. Next, the portable terminal receives a first redirect message including the status code ‘301’ and location information ‘www.naver.com’ at step 120. Thereafter, the portable terminal extracts the location information ‘www.naver.com’ from the first redirect message and sends the network a second GET request message including ‘www.naver.com’ at step 130. The server of the network receives the second GET request message from the portable terminal, parses the second GET request message, and sends, when the client is verified as the terminal which has transmitted the message through the mobile browser, the client a second Redirect message. The portable terminal receives the second Redirect message including the status code ‘302’ and location information ‘m.naver.com’ at step 140. Next, the portable terminal extracts the location information ‘m.naver.com’ from the second Redirect message and sends the network a third GET request message including ‘m.naver.com’ at step 150. Finally, the portable terminal receives a success message including the status code ‘200’ and requested data at step 160. The portable terminal is capable of extracting the data (e.g. webpage, streaming audio data, streaming video data, etc.) from the success message, as noted at step 160, and providing the user with the extracted data through output devices.
However, the conventional redirect procedure, as illustrated in FIG. 1, has a drawback of long data loading time due to the repeated exchange of GET request and Redirect message. Furthermore, the redirection procedure is repeated much more when the original domain name such as ‘naver.com’ is entered in the URL bar of the mobile browser.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.